If you are looking to do mostly paved trails and streets, then a beach cruiser with 700c wheels and tires will be ideal for your needs. These types of beach cruisers still feature that iconic laid-back cruiser design, but offer a bit more practicality for everyday use. The Larkspur 1 is a comfortable, cruisy, mixte-inspired schwinn beach cruiser bike that delivers big doses of fun. It’s built around a tough steel frame and fork that’s not scared of rough paths or pub crawls. The hydraulic disc brakes, 1x drivetrain, and Vee Tire wide knobby tires on 27.5-inch wheels are borrowed from mountain bikes and add to the Larkspur’s go-anywhere capability.
When on it, you’ll find that you sit upright, with your arms at barely a bend and your knees pedaling just before you. This is a rising position that won’t afford you a lot of power when trying to push up hills or race down a street. Similarly, it would be dangerous to take this style of bike on a downhill mountain path. Yet, it is a fantastic choice for those who want to enjoy an easy ride around the neighborhood. Which type of wheels you want on your future beach cruiser bike will largely depend upon where you want to take that bike.
You’ll see many of the models Schwinn produced in the last half of the 20th century, along with some older models from the earlier part of the company’s history. If you’re buying a vintage Schwinn on eBay, be sure to ask lots of questions about the bike’s condition. Also keep shipping costs in mind, since packaging and transporting a bike can be costly. From across the street you might easily mistake the Loft 7D for a 1970’s vintage Schwinn or Raleigh, but when you get up close you will see it is a thoroughly modern around town bike. Electra combined retro styling and modern parts into one heck of a package. The springer saddle is comfortable, the mustache bars put your hands in the proper position, and the 7-speed Shimano drivetrain shifts smoothly.
And that takes a lot of wind out of this kat, so I decided to go with something that had a few more gears than just one. I wanted to get a bike that looked like the old style jobs, and after a few years of waiting and watching finally found this Schwinn Riverside at the local K-Mart. Front and rear linear pull brakes provide precise, reliable stopping power and speed control so you can ride with confidence in a variety of conditions.
Prior to joining Bicycling in 2021, Dan worked as part of the race organization for the Red Hook Crit, as a coach with EnduranceWERX, as well as a freelance writer and photographer. Although the selection of merchandise is constantly changing, schwinn beach cruiser Craigslist can be a great place to score a deal on a vintage Schwinn. This isn’t the place to go if you need a bike immediately, but if you’re patient and watch the listings carefully, you may just find the vintage bike of your dreams.
Most people will probably use it as a townie, and it’s great at that, too. Its step-through frame lets you rest at stoplights with your feet on the ground. In honor of its 125th year, Schwinn joined forces with Detroit Bikes’ expert frame craftsmen to produce a limited run of a cruiser inspired by the iconic 1965 Schwinn Collegiate Deluxe. Bicycling has been a leading voice in the bike industry for decades, delivering insightful, trustworthy reviews and in-depth knowledge to cycling enthusiasts of all levels. We have a long history of guiding readers through the ever-evolving cycling landscape, and our writers and editors are not only experts but also passionate riders.
Most beach cruisers were and continue to be built with coaster brakes, but you can also find models that feature beefier braking systems and ones that offer both. Certainly, electric beach cruisers specifically will be able to take cyclists at speeds rivaling a standard road cyclist powering down the bike path. However, beach cruisers feature a frame that is designed foremost to offer comfort.
Most Schwinn bikes will feature a head badge or plate that identifies them as a Schwinn. This badge varied in style, depending on the style of bike and the year it was made. However, if you see the Schwinn name on the badge, it’s probably a Schwinn bike. The manufacturer distributed unbranded or rebranded bikes through other companies, especially prior to the 1950s. Disengage the brake cable from the slotted cable stop on the brake arm. Remove the fork spacer.Lift the front of the bike and roll the front wheel into the fork dropouts.
The cruiser’s wide 38mm tires guarantee a smooth experience on bike paths or the boardwalk, ensuring that this dignified emerald bicycle makes you look as effortlessly stylish as you feel. The powerful and straightforward, RadCity 5 Plus is a city bike with commuter potential. Strapped with a 750w geared hub motor, this e-bike moves along at a comfortable 20 mph with a throttle to help you get up to speed or the top of punchy hills.
The Bad Boy is Cannondale’s fast-riding city and urban commuter. Sporting the brand’s signature Lefty fork, the Bad Boy 3 stands out from the crowd, featuring a fully blacked-out look designed to blend in. Other features include a Shimano Altus 2×8-speed drivetrain with a wide gear range, powerful hydraulic disc brakes, and 650b wheels that blend durability and speed. However, if you are considering an electric beach cruiser bike, a multi-geared beach cruiser bike, or are otherwise planning on taking it in hillier terrains, then we recommend looking for a model with a better braking system. Because while cruiser brakes are effective at low speeds and in flat terrain, if you try to slam backward and brake when going at high speeds or down a hill, the momentum risks you skidding out in a dangerous fashion. So, for these cases, we recommend looking for a beach cruiser model that either pairs the coaster brake with a front v-brake or disc brake, or one that completely swaps the coaster brake for a full set of v-brakes or disc brakes.